Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 19,287, Nathaniel Foster, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass
Foster, Nathaniel
No. 19287
Fletcher, Mary
(Former widow)
CONTENTS

51259 Massachusetts
Mary Fletcher formerly widow of Nathaniel Foster Mass who served in the Revolutionary war, as a Pirate
Inscribed on the Roll at the rate of 38 Dollars 87
Cents per annum, to commence the 4th day of March, 1848.
Certificate of Pension issued the 5 th day of Sept r 1849 and sent to
Elijah Clark Brighton Mass.
Recorded on Roll of Pensioners under act February 2, 1848, Page 57 Vol. 2
*

N 13765
Mary Fletcher pmly wid of Nathaniel Foster Mass
act 7 July 1838
Married 1785 Husband died 1804 Second Husband, died 1831
admd. 11 mo 20 days $38 87 pr am pm 4 March 1836 to 4 March 1841
Subscribed to Census Bureau 1775 admd, also in 1776 admd act 5 March 1843. $17 87 pr am pm $38 87 pr am pm from 4 March 1843 to 4 March 1848
act 2 July 4, 8 $38 87 pm 4 March 1848. Elijah Clark Benson Mass

Commonwealth of Massachusetts. County of Middlesex ss.
On this fifteenth day of January, eighteen hundred and forty nine, Personally appeared before the Hon. S. P. P. Fay, Judge of the Court of Probate in and for the County of Middlesex, & State aforesaid, Mary Fletcher, a resident of Brighton in said County, being eighty two years of age the twenty ninth day of December 1838, who, being first duly sworn according to law, doth on her oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefits of the provision made by the Acts of Congress passed July, seventh 1838, and the 23 d of August 1842. Granting pensions to widows of persons who served during the revolutionary war. Also the Acts of March 3 d 1843, and June 17 th 1844.
That she is the widow of Nathaniel Foster, who was a private in Captain Parkers Minute Company in the town of Chelmsford in said County of Middlesex, and was in the Lexington & Concord alarm on the 19 th of April 1775, near one week, and that he then engaged and rendered eight months service at Cambridge in the year 1775, in a Company commanded by Capt. John Ford of Chelmsford in Col s Bridge Regiment, and he again enlisted under Capt. Joshua Reed, for the year's service of 1776, in the Continental Army, and after the British left Boston he marched with the army to New York, in the same Company, then commanded by Capt. James Brannum of Dracut, in the Regiment commanded by Col s James Mitchell Brannum of Rhode Island, in General Gloreas Brigade, and in further proof of her said husband's services, she refers to the Rolls & Documents in Washington, and to the Washington Papers so called in the City of Washington. And it is her impression that he rendered other services from said town of Chelmsford, which she is not able to describe, or to prove by any evidence now known to her, to be in existence, and that his services while in the State of New York,

and in the Jersey Country. His exposures & sickness greatly impaired his health, from which he never wholly recovered.
She also declared, that she was Married to the said Nathaniel Foster, in the town of Ashburnham in the County of Worcester & State of Massachusetts on the twenty ninth day of December in the year seventeen hundred and eighty five. That the ceremony was performed by the Rev d John Cushing, Pastor of the first Church & Society in said Ashburnham. That her said husband the aforesaid Nathaniel Foster, died in said town of Ashburnham on the twelfth day of October in the year eighteen hundred and four. That she was not Married to him prior to his leaving the Service, but the Marriage took place previous to the first day of January, seventeen hundred and ninety four. Viz t at the time above stated. She further declared, that after the death of the husband aforesaid, she removed with her family, from said Ashburnham, to the adjoining town of Ashby in the County of Middlesex, and was there Married to Ebenezer Fletcher of New Ipswich, in the State of New Hampshire, on or near the sixteenth day of June in the year eighteen hundred and twelve. That the ceremony was performed by Rev d Cornelius Walker, Pastor of a Church in said town of Ashby. That the said Ebenezer Fletcher died in the aforesaid town of New Ipswich on or near the eighth day of May in the year eighteen hundred and thirty one, and that she is still a widow, that been since his death -
Mary Fletcher
Subscribed & sworn to by said Mary Fletcher on the day & year first above written in open court before me
J. P. C. Day
J. Prob

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Middlesex County, ss.
I Isaac H. Hovey of the Court of Probate in and for the said County, hereby certify that the Honorable Sam d P. Hovey whose own proper signature is written on the foregoing Certificate is the Judge of said Court.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of said Court of Probate this sixteenth day of January in the year Eighteen hundred & forty nine.
Isaac Hovey

Extracts from record Repts by John Gushing S.D. while pastor of the 1 st Congl. Church & Society in Ashburnham, Wor- -cester County, State of Massachusetts.
"Nath l Foster & Mary Kendall both of Ashburnham were married December Twenty ninth, Seventeen Hundred, eighty five."
I hereby certify that the above is a true extract from the original chh. Rec- -ord of the 1 st Congl. Chh. in Ashburnham Worcester Co. Mass. with the exception of date which is expressed in fair, leg- -ible figures as follows "Dec. 29. 1785."
E. Davis, pastor of 1 st Congl. Chh.
I, E. Davis, depose & say that I hold the office of pastor in the 1 st Congl. Chh. in Ashburnham, Worcester Co. Mass. and that the above is a true extract, with the exception above certified by me.
And I further certify that I find in the list of deaths, kept in the above de- -scribed chh. record, for 1804, the following "Oct. 12 Nath l Foster, age between 40 & 50"
Albany, E. Davis, pastor 1 st Congl. Chh.
Worcester P. Dec. 4-1848
Personally appeared E. Davis whose name is subscribed to the above certificate and solemnly affirmed that the same is true.
Before me
Chas. Stearns Justice of Peace

I, Benjamin Kendall of Ashby, in the County of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, seventy one years of age, and upwards, Do testify and say, I am a native of this town, & have resided in said town for the most part of my life excepting near eight years which I resided Newton. That in the early part of my life I was well acquainted with Nathaniel Foster of Ashburnham an adjoining town to Ashby, & in the County of Worcester. That after the death of the first wife of said Nathaniel Foster, he married for his second wife my own sister, Mary Kendall, and that they were married at his residence in said town of Ashburnham. That I have a clear recollection of his relations what took place while he was in the service of the Revolution and that he resided in the town of Shelburne in said County of Middlesex in the early part of his life, and that it was understood that he was connected with the family of Byams of said Shelburne who owned lands in said Ashburnham. That after the death of the said Nathaniel Foster in Ashburnham my said sister then Mary Foster, resided there a short time, then removed to this town, and I resided in the house with her until she again married to Ebenezer Fletcher of New Spofford, an adjoining town, and in the State of New Hampshire I was at their marriage and see them united in the bonds of marriage agreeable to the laws of this State, which was done by the Reverend Cornelius Wetters, Pastor of a Church & Society in this town, which took place thirty five or six years since. That my said sister then Mary Fletcher, then lived in said town of New Spofford with her husband last mentioned Ebenezer Fletcher until his death in said New Spofford which took place near eighteen years past, and that my said sister Mary Fletcher remains a widow.
Benj y Kendall
Middlesex, ss. Ashby, December, 5 th 1848.
Then personally appeared Benjamin Kendall, and made oath to the truth of the above affidavit by him subscribed, and I certify that he is a credible witness, and is reputed in the town where he resides, to be a person of strict veracity. Before Me. Elijah Clark, Justice of the Peace.

Ashby May 25. 1812.
Recd the names of Eleazar Fletcher of New Ipswich Ashe and Mary Foster of Ashby with their intentions of Marriage, who were out published June 15-1812 and a certificate by Allens Gage Town Clerk
I Francis Tinker
Depose and say that I hold the office of Town Clerk in the Town of Ashby in the County of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have been duly elected to that office, have in my care and keeping the records of said Town, and that the above is a true extract from said records. The Marriage of the above named Fletcher is not to be found recorded in said records
Francis Tinker
Town Clerk of Ashby
Middlesex ss.
Ashby Decr 4 th 1848
Then personally appeared Francis Tinker. Town Clerk of Ashby and made oath to the truth of the above certificate by him subscribed. The word Received, being erased so as to conform with the Town record before making oath, and the letter of V.P.H. were also erased.
Before Me. Elijah Clark. Justice of the Peace

N o 10725.
Massachusetts
Mary Fletcher formerly Widow of Nathaniel Foster who was a pensioner under the Act of and who died on the 1804 of in the State of Mass who was a private in the Company commanded by Captain John Reed of the Regt commanded by Col. Varnum in the Mass. line for
Inscribed on the Roll of Boston Mass. at the rate of 38 Dollars 87 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1836.
Certificate of Pension issued the 5 th day of September 1849 and sent to Elyah Clarke, Brighton, Mass.
Total amount,
$
[Act July 7, 1838.]
Recorded by Book D
Vol.
Page 57
Clerk,

8634 Massachusetts
Mary Fletcher formerly widow of Nathaniel Foster who was a Private in the Revolutionary War
Inscribed on the Roll at the rate of 38 Dollars 87 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1843.
Certificate of Pension issued the 5 th day of Sept r 1849. and sent to
Elijah Clark Brighton Mass.
[Acts of March 3, 1843, & June 17, 1844.]
Recorded in Book A. Vol. 2 Page 29

22
N 13765 Mary Fletcher Map How H. Manns Mark 24 49
act 7 July 1838

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Boston January 16 th 1849.
I hereby Certify, That at the dates of the annexed attestation Charles Stearns was a Justice of the Peace for the County of Worcester, and Elijah Clark was a Justice of the Peace for the County of Middlesex,
in the said Commonwealth, duly commissioned and constituted; and that to their acts and attestations, as such, full faith and credit are and ought to be given, in and out of Court.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
M. H. Calhoun
Secretary of the Commonwealth.

Rev 19287 WIDOW, &c.
File No.
19287
Mary Fletcher Former Wife of Nathaniel Foster Rev Rev. War
Act:
Febry. 2 nd
148
Index:—Vol.
8
Page
243
[Arrangement of 1870.]

I, Olive Hunt, of Chelmsford in the County of Middlesex, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, eighty years of age & upwards. Do. testify and say, I have resided in this town near the whole of my life. That I have a clear recollection of the War of the Revolution. of my father going in the service at the alarm of Lexington and Concord April 19. A. D. 1775. I also recollect one Nathaniel Foster of this town. That he resided in this town in the time of the Revolution, and that he was married to a Miss Rebecca Byam of this town and some time after the Revolution he removed with his family to Ashburnham in the County of Worcester, & state aforesaid. That the wife of the said Foster there died, and he again married. His second wife I was not acquainted with. That the said Foster resided on land in Ashburnham owned by Henry Byam of this town father of the first wife of said Nathaniel Foster. I have no recollection of there being any other man in this town at the time of the Revolution by name of Nathaniel Foster. It was reported that the said Nathaniel Foster was in the service of the Revolution in the Continental Army.
Olive Hunt
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Middlesex, ss. Chelmsford December. 2 d 1838. Then personally

Oliver Hurst, and made oath to the truth of the foregoing Affidavit by her subscribed. And I certify that she is a credible witness, and is reputed to be remarkable correct in relating past events, by those who are knowing to her good character and her natural faculties.
Before Me. Elijah Clark, Justice of the Peace.
Oliver Hurst

I, Sarah F. Parker of Brighton, in the County of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, forty five years of age. Do testify and say that in the early part of my life I resided in the town of Ashby in said County, Middlesex an adjoining town to Ashburnham in the County of Worcester & State aforesaid. That I well recollect the time my Mother, Mary Foster was married to Ebenezer Fletcher of New Spawick and I went with my Mother to New Spawick aforesaid in the adjoining State of New Hampshire and lived with her until my marriage. That after my marriage I resided in Lancaster in the County of Worcester & State of Massachusetts aforesaid. That I visited my Mother in said town of New Spawick within one year previous to the death of her husband the said Ebenezer Fletcher, and also after his death, and that my said Mother has resided with me the principle part of the time since the death of said Fletcher, and that she now resides with me in said town of Brighton, & remains a widow.
Sarah F. Parker
Middlesex ss. Brighton, January 9 th 1838 Then personally appeared Sarah F. Parker, and made oath to the truth of the above affidavit by her subscribed, and I certify that she is a credible witness. Before me. Elijah Clark, Justice of the Peace.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Boston:
November 25 th 1848.
I hereby Certify, That, from an examination of the Books and Documents relating to Military Services in the War of the Revolution, which remain in this Department, it appears that the name of Nathaniel Foster is borne upon a Muster Roll of Capt Moses Parker's Company, as a private of Chelmsford from April 19 1775 7 days.
7
Upon a Muster Roll of Capt John Ford's Company in Col Ebenezer Bridges Regt as a private of Chelmsford from April 26 to August 1 1775. 3 months and 13 days.
3 13
Upon a Return of said Company, in said Regt as a private of Chelmsford, no service named. said Return is dated, September, 28 1775.
4 3
Upon an Abstract of Capt Joshua Reed's Company in Col Varnum's Regt, as a private from December 4 1775 to the 1 st April 1776. 3 months and 27 days. James Varnum 1 st Lt and Thomas Handly 2 nd Lieut of said Reed's Comp y .
4
3 27
11 20

And I further Certify, That, before search made for evidence of said facts, the application hereto annexed was filed in this Office, in the form in which the same now appears; that the search was made by myself and my clerks alone; and that said application, and the certificate above set forth, contain all the facts and circumstances within my knowledge, pertaining to the case.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
A handwritten signature in cursive, reading "W. B. Callan".
Secretary of the Commonwealth.

I Mary Fletcher of Brighton in the County of Middlesex, & Commonwealth of Massachusetts, eighty one years of age. Do testify & say, that from recent information, respecting Pension Laws, I have good reason to believe that I am entitled to a Pension from the United States, in consideration of the service rendered in the War of the Revolution by my first husband, Nathaniel Foster of Chelseaford in the county of Middlesex, and according to the best of my recollection and information, he was born in Grafton in said County, and resided in Chelseaford after he was five years of age. That he was near twenty one years of age on the 19 th of April 1775, at which time he was in the Lexington & Concord Alarm in Capt. John Foss's Company & continued in Capt. Foss's Company in Col. Bridgess Regt through the first eight months service of 1775, & that he again enlisted for the year's service of 1776, under Capt. Joshua Reed, & served that year, in Capt. James Warren's Company in Col. James M. Warren's Regt. with Dorne Company of the Middlesex Regt., and that he again engaged & served three years, or during the War, which service for his country very much impaired his health, as well as a great deficiency in his pay in Continental money, as he often stated. I have no knowledge of there being any other Nathaniel Foster in Chelseaford or the neighbouring towns, but that there was a Nathaniel Foster at one time in the town of Haverham who was younger than my said husband, at which place he died. I request the duty of this Commonwealth to examine the Rolls & Documents in his office for proof of the service of my said husband. Mary Fletcher

Complying in Sol. James M. Dorr with Mrs. Combs
Middlesex ss.
Brighton November 6 th 1848.
The foregoing application subscribed to by the said Mary Fletcher before me.
Elizabeth Clark. Justice of the Peace

I, Simeon Byam, of Chelmsford, in the County of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts eighty two years of age, do testify & say, that I have always resided in this town, that I well remember the War of the Revolution, and that my father was a drummer of one the Minute companies in this town, and was out on the Lexington & Concord Alarm April 19, 1775, and I well recollect that Nathaniel Foster of this town, who resided in the family of Anna Byam, a near neighbor of my father, was out in service, and according to the best of my recollection the said Nathaniel Foster was in the service two or three years in all, and that at the time of the Revolution I did not know of, or hear of any other Nathaniel Foster, in this town, or in any other town, the said Foster after the Revolution removed to the town of Ashburnham where he resided until his death.
For his Simeon X Byam
Middlesex ss. Chelmsford May 21. A.D. 1849-
Then personally appeared Simeon Byam, and made oath to the truth of the above affidavit by him subscribed by making his mark, and I certify that he is a person of sound mind, and reputed to be a credible witness & a man of veracity,
Before Me. Elijah Clark, Justice of the Peace.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Boston May 22 d 1849.
I hereby Certify, That at the date of the annexed attestation Elijah Clarke was a Justice of the Peace for the County of Middlesex,
in the said Commonwealth, duly commissioned and constituted; and that to his acts and attestations, as such, full faith and credit are and ought to be given, in and out of Court.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
W. L. Chaplin Deputy Secretary of the Commonwealth.

No. 7 Rept in Jan y . 19 th 1849, Hon. J. L. Edwards, Dear Sir,
Enclosed is the petition of Mary Fletcher, with an accompanying paper, for a pension. When the Certificate is made out, will you be so good as to for- ward it to me,
I am much obliged,
Yours &
Morris Mann.

Brighton, May. 23. d 1849.
Dear Sir.
Your letter of date March. 16 th 1849. to the Hon. Horace Mann. M.C. in the case of Mrs Mary Fletcher, formerly the widow of Nathaniel Foster. has been received. I enclose you herewith the additional evidence. a number of revolutionary soldiers of Chelseaford, and the neighbouring towns having deceased within one or two years. in behalf of the claimant. I refer you to the evidence on file in the case allowed May. 6. 1841. to Mrs Elizabeth Colburn of Lincoln. formerly the widow of Jonas Wymann.
Most Yours
Col. S. Bice Elijah Clark
Hon. J. L. Edwards Commissioner of Pensions Washington. City, D.C.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Boston :
March 30 1849.
I hereby Certify, That, from an examination of the Books and Documents relating to Military Services in the War of the Revolution, which remain in this Department, it does not  that to what town Nathaniel Foster who served in Capt Reed's Company of Col Farnum's Regt from December 4 1775 belonged. Neither can it be ascertained at what time Nathaniel Foster's service in Capt Ford's Company of 1775 terminated.
The evidence of service of Nath'l Foster in Capt Ford's Company and in Capt Reed's, is all that can be found of any one of the name from the County of Middlesex, upon rolls in this Office.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
W. D. H. Allen
Secretary of the Commonwealth.